Many of the world's best golfers are competing in Texas this week at the 2026 Memorial Tournament, and you'll notice many are playing while wearing a yellow ribbon on their hats or clothes this week.
The reason players are wearing a yellow ribbon on is in support of the Play Yellow initiative.
The Play Yellow campaign, announced in May 2019 by Jack and Barbara Nicklaus, has the aim of raising hundreds of millions for children's hospitals. The Nicklaus family has made pediatric health care their biggest cause, including working with Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and having their name on pediatric hospitals in the Miami area. One of their many aims is to provide pediatric care, including experimental care, not covered by insurance.
The idea is that golfers can wear yellow while making a donation at the campaign website. The suggested donation is $18, for 18 holes in a golf round, but other contributions are accepted. The Nicklaus family is also encouraging players to wear yellow on the golf course, like Rahm is doing. Nicklaus himself wore yellow shirts in the final round of golf tournaments in honor of Craig Smith, the son of a close friend who was battling bone cancer and passed away in 1971 at the age of 13.
A number of industry groups, including Callaway and TaylorMade, as well the PGA Tour through The Players Championship and its TPC Network, made initial contributions since fundraising began at the outset of 2019.
